Republicanism
Republicanism
History, despite claims to the contrary, does not repeat
itself. However, there are a lot of things within historical studies that
reveal similarities or provide points of comparison. In the Western World,
every historical analysis takes us back to Greece and Rome so that we can see
the foundations of modern societies. And
a key component of these worlds are their democratic ideals. From studying the
origins and declines of these great empires, we can learn a great deal about
types of democratic practices.
However, the great empires of the past never had a democracy
like the one created in modern America. In the Greek model, only a select
population of Athenians voted. The
Romans also limited participation in its democratic government. Its republic
lasted about five hundred years ending in 27 BC. Afterwards with the formation
of the empire, numerous emperors were overthrown before Rome fell in 476 AD.
After observing the Greeks and the Romans, students learn
about the rise of European empires including those in France, Spain, Portugal,
England, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Germany. In European history, the
generalized rule is that all of the great empires declined when their
respective governments were no longer able to satisfy the needs of their
citizens. And in most cases, dissatisfied parties, within or outside of the
empire, overthrow empires. Students of history often examine the trends
associated with revolution. A key sign in most revolts is the failure of
citizens to agree with their leaders or each other. Yet, its important to see
that Europe had empires that became monarchies, and monarchies became limited
democracies. But a true democracy never
existed.
American students, unlike those in other nations, traditionally
learn about English revolutions in the wake of more democratic ideals. They
study the Magna Carta, and the revolutions of the 17th century as
they challenged the authority of the king and raised the power of Parliament.
Learning about these conflicts better explains why American colonists revolted
against the crown in the eighteenth century, and why there is an American Civil
War in the nineteenth century. In these
cases, there were cries for different types of governance tied to ignorance of multiple
viewpoints.
A true democracy, in reality, is an action-oriented
endeavor. It requires the participation of all. America, like ancient Greece
and Rome, did not start as a democracy but rather a republic. Voting, the key
form of democratic participation, was initially restricted to white American men
of property. The Founding Fathers restricted the vote to what they believed was
a learned group. It was not until the twentieth century that America expanded
citizenship to women, Native Americans, African Americans, and other people of
color. Yet, aspects of the republic remain, especially through the use of the
Electoral College.
And even in a democracy there are still degrees of
dissension. Our system highlights the rocky states of governance by the people.
Yet, we must realize it is a work in progress. We still have a lot of work to
do to make American democracy more universal.
And to achieve this we have to create a more inclusive society.
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So as we approach our nation’s birthday, we must spend more
time encouraging citizens to become real citizens. We need to review the
history of the nation’s birth, study the role of the Founding Fathers in
creating our government, and how the expansion of the Constitution has made and
has the potential of making our nation more democratic.
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